Magnetically attached mattress and foundation system

ABSTRACT

A magnetically attached mattress and foundation system comprising a foundation containing a magnetic portion and a mattress containing a magnetic portion. The magnetic portions each contain magnetizable or magnetically responsive materials.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority to co-pending provisional patentapplication 62/201,135, filed on Aug. 5, 2015.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to mattress and foundationsattached using magnetics.

BACKGROUND

Sometimes in standard flat mattress and foundation systems and mattressand foundation systems where an area of the mattress raises and lowers,the mattress can slip or otherwise move in relation to the foundationsystem. It would be desirable to create a system which prevents oreliminates this shifting and slipping.

BRIEF SUMMARY

A magnetically attached mattress and foundation system comprising afoundation containing a magnetic portion and a mattress containing amagnetic portion. The magnetic portions each contain magnetizable ormagnetically responsive materials.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A-B illustrate one embodiment of a magnetically attached mattressand foundation system.

FIGS. 2-3 illustrate additional embodiments of a magnetically attachedmattress and foundation system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description and appended drawing describe andillustrate various exemplary embodiments of the invention. Thedescription and drawing serve to enable one skilled in the art to makeand use the invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of theinvention in any manner.

Referring to FIG. 1A, there is shown one embodiment of a magneticallyattached mattress and foundation system 10 where the mattress 200 isplaced and attached to the foundation (box spring) 100 magnetically.FIG. 1B shows the same embodiment with the mattress 200 separated fromthe foundation (box spring) 100 to more easily view the magnetic layers110, 210. The box spring 100 contains a magnetic portion 110 on theupper surface of the box spring and the mattress 200 contains a magneticportion 210 on the lower surface of the mattress 200. While 100 isdescribed as a box spring in the application, 100 may be any suitablefoundation system including a sheet of wood, platform, or other supportstructure. While 200 is described as a mattress in the application, 200may be any suitable surface a user sits or lays on such as pillows,couch cushions, or the like.

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate a traditional flat mattress. The magneticportions 110, 210 help keep the mattress 200 and foundation (box spring)100 aligned and helps prevent the mattress 200 and the box spring 100 toslide relative to one another. FIG. 2 illustrates an adjustable bedhaving at least one area of the mattress 200 that can raise and lower ona foundation (box spring) 100. These beds may be found in homes andhospitals, for example. FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of anadjustable bed having at least one area of the mattress 200 that can beraised and lowered where the mattress is magnetically attached to andsupported by a foundation (support structure) 150.

In one embodiment, the magnetic portion 110 covers the entire uppersurface of the box spring 100. In another embodiment, the magneticportion 210 covers the entire lower surface of the mattress 200. Inanother embodiment, the magnetic portion 110 covers a majority of theupper surface of the box spring 100. In another embodiment, the magneticportion 210 covers the majority of the lower surface of the mattress200. The magnetic portions 110, 210 may be continuous or discontinuous,may have any suitable thickness, and may contain discrete elements suchas bars and dots. Having discontinuous portions or other printed dotsmay add in saving material coats and/or helping with mattress and boxspring alignment and installation. In the embodiments, where themattress raise and lower in areas, the magnetic portions 110, 210 areonly located in the areas that are always in contact (the areas that donot raise and lower).

In one embodiment, the magnetic portion 110 on the box spring 100 isdirectly on the outer surface of the box spring 100. This portion may beadded during the manufacture of the box spring 100 or coated onto thesurface of the box spring 100 after manufacture. In another embodiment,the magnetic coating is on or in a separate layer such as a fitted sheetthat fits over the box spring 100. In some embodiments, the magneticportions 110, 210 are adjacent and touching each other and in otherembodiments there may be one or layers between the magnetic portions110, 210. In one embodiment, the portions 110, 210 are applied viacoating. In other embodiments, the portions 110, 210 may be applied vialamination, extrusion, or incorporating magnetically active metal wires,fibers, filaments, strands, and/or yarns into the fabrics forming aportion of the box spring 110 and/or the mattress 200.

Within the pair of magnetic portions 110, 210 at least one of theportions must be magnetizable. In one embodiment, one of the portions ismagnetizable and the other is magnetically respective. In anotherembodiment, both of the surfaces are magnetizable.

In this application magnetizable is defined to mean the particlespresent in the coating are permanently magnetized or can be magnetizedpermanently using external magnets or electromagnets. Once the particlesare magnetized, they will keep their magnetic response permanently. Themagnetizable behavior for generating permanent magnetism falls broadlyunder ferromagnets and ferrimagnets. Barium ferrites, strontiumferrites, neodymium and other rare earth metal based alloys are some ofthe examples that can be applied in the coatings.

In this application magnetically responsive is defined to mean theparticles present in the coating are only magnetically responsive in thepresence of external magnets. Once the magnetic field is removed fromthe vicinity, the particles will become non-magnetic. The magneticallyresponsive behavior or responsive magnetic behavior falls broadly underparamagnets or superparamagnets (particle size less than 50 nm). Ironoxide, steel, iron, nickel, aluminum or their alloys that are notincluded in ferromagnets are some of the examples that can be applied inthe coatings.

Barium ferrites, strontium ferrites, neodymium and other rare earthmetal based alloys can be mixed with the appropriate binder to be coatedon the substrate. There are 2 ways the surface can be permanentlymagnetized after the curing or during the curing.

Process 1: After the coating method, the magnetizable particles loadedin the film are cured with the appropriate binder and composition. Thenthe permanent magnets can be rolled over the surface coated with thefilm 1 to 10 times as required by the inline manufacturing. Dependingupon the pole size, strength and domains on the permanent magnet orelectromagnet can magnetize the magnetizable coating to a value between10 and 5000 gauss or a value close to the maximum gauss value of themagnetizing medium. Once the film is magnetized, it will remainpermanently magnetized.

Process 2: During the cure, the magnetizable particles are mixed withthe appropriate binder and applied via coating technique on thesubstrate to be magnetized. Once the coating is complete, the particlesare magnetized in the presence of external magnets during the curingprocess. The coating will be put in a magnetic field to align themagnetic poles and hold the dipoles in place in the presence of themagnetic field until the binder is cured.

The surface(s) of the components (100, 200) may be made to be magneticin any suitable method. In one embodiment, the magnetic material isapplied to a surface as a coating. In another embodiment, the magneticmaterial is applied as a separate film that is adhered to the surface ofthe component. In another embodiment, the magnetic material is integral(meaning that it is formed as part of the component and not added afterthe component is formed). Some preferred coating methods include knifecoating, padding, painting, spraying, roll-on-roll, troweling,extrusion, foam coating, pattern coating, printing, and lamination. Themagnetic particles may also be extruded with the component. When thematerial is coated on, it is preferably flexible and sew-able (meaningthat the material can be sewn through with a needle and thread).

In one embodiment, the magnetic material is applied as an approximatelyuniform portion having approximately the same thickness, magneticstrength, and/or composition across the surface of the component. Inanother embodiment, the magnetic material can vary across theportions(s) of the components. The magnetic material may be in agradient or pattern. These patterns may help with alignment of onecomponent relative to its adjacent components.

Any type of magnetizable particles can be used, including but are notlimited to: BaFe₃O₄, SrFe₃O₄, NdFeB, AlNiCo, CoSm and other rare earthmetal based alloys. Any type of magnetically receptive particles can beused, including but are not limited to: Fe₂O₃, Fe₃O₄, steel, iron basedparticles etc (Para or Superpara). Any suitable binder may be used,including but not limited to urethanes, acrylates, silicones, thermosets(rubber and others), thermoplastics and other textile binders.

Preferably, the magnetic portions 110, 210 are flexible meaning thatthey can be bent to a radius of curvature of less than 10 inches withoutsignificant cracking or loss of function.

In one embodiment shown in FIG. 3 the mattress 200 is attachedmagnetically to the support structure 150. The mattress 200 contains amagnetic portion 210 and the support structure 150 contains a magneticportion 160. This support structure may also contain (not shown) amagnetic portion on the side of the support structure 150 facing the boxspring and the box spring may contain a magnetic portion 110 which wouldfurther help hold the mattress 200 and support structure 150 in placeand not slip.

While the magnetic portions were described in relation to a mattress,the system could also be used for other skirted items such as couches,sofas, tables, pillows, end tables, and curtains.

All references, including publications, patent applications, andpatents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the sameextent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicatedto be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entiretyherein.

The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in thecontext of describing the invention (especially in the context of thefollowing claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and theplural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted bycontext. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing”are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, butnot limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of valuesherein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referringindividually to each separate value falling within the range, unlessotherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated intothe specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methodsdescribed herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwiseindicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The useof any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”)provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the inventionand does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unlessotherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construedas indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice ofthe invention.

Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, includingthe best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention.Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to thoseof ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. Theinventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations asappropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practicedotherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, thisinvention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subjectmatter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicablelaw. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in allpossible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unlessotherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

What is claimed is:
 1. A magnetically attached mattress and foundationsystem comprising: a foundation having upper and lower sides, whereinthe upper side comprises a magnetic portion comprising magnetizable ormagnetically responsive materials; a mattress having upper and lowersides, wherein the lower side comprises a magnetic portion comprisingmagnetizable or magnetically responsive materials; wherein at least oneof the magnetic portion on the foundation and the magnetic portion onthe mattress comprise magnetizable materials, and wherein the magneticportion of the foundation is attached to the magnetic portion of themattress.
 2. The magnetically attached mattress and foundation system ofclaim 1, wherein the foundation is a bed spring.
 3. The magneticallyattached mattress and foundation system of claim 1, wherein the magneticportion covers the entire upper side of the foundation.
 4. Themagnetically attached mattress and foundation system of claim 1, whereinthe magnetic portion covers the entire lower side of the mattress. 5.The magnetically attached mattress and foundation system of claim 1,wherein the magnetic portion covers the majority of the upper side ofthe foundation.
 6. The magnetically attached mattress and foundationsystem of claim 1, wherein the magnetic portion of the at least one ofthe mattress and the foundation is discontinuous.
 7. The magneticallyattached mattress and foundation system of claim 1, wherein a portion ofthe mattress raises and lowers and a portion is fixed.
 8. Themagnetically attached mattress and foundation system of claim 1, whereinthe magnetic portion covers the fixed areas of the lower side of themattress.
 9. The magnetically attached mattress and foundation system ofclaim 1, wherein both the magnetic portion on the foundation and themagnetic portion on the mattress comprise magnetizable materials. 10.The magnetically attached mattress and foundation system of claim 1,wherein the magnetizable materials are ferromagnets or ferrimagnets. 11.The magnetically attached mattress and foundation system of claim 1,wherein the magnetizable materials comprise a material selected from thegroup consisting of barium ferrites, strontium ferrites and neodymium.12. The magnetically attached mattress and foundation system of claim 1,wherein the magnetically responsive materials comprise a materialselected from the group consisting of iron oxide, steel, iron, nickel,and aluminum.